Millions of houses in the United States of America are built with a basement. Many of these houses use a pump system that operates from a sunk well below the basement floor. Such a pump system is referred to as a “sunk” pump system. A sunk pump system operates to pump water that has leaked from outside (e.g., due to a high water table, flooding, or other forms of leakage) and that has thus gathered into the sunk well in the basement. The pumped water is channeled out back out of the house, thereby allowing the basement to stay dry.
The typical existing sunk pump system is powered by a high voltage electrical grid to which the houses are connected. Such existing pumps often comprise a single pump that operates at a fixed pumping rate, and which has a capacity that meets the anticipated worst-case flooding conditions. The pump is typically activated by a “high” water level sensor to pump water in the sunk well to the outside. After activation, the pump is stopped upon a “low” water level sensor being triggered. The typical existing pump system is referred hereinafter as “the conventional pump system”.
If the convention pump system has insufficient pumping to accommodate a large volume of water flooding into the house, the inadequate pumping can result in water damage. Likewise, if there is an unexpected pump failure, or a period of grid power outage, the pump will not operate at all, again resulting in water damage. Such water damage can typically cost thousands of dollars to repair. Furthermore, when there is a low seeping rate, and the pump is not activated for a long period of time, the relatively stagnant water can begin to emit a musty and foul odor, thereby diminishing the quality of life of the occupants.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.